SOC 2 automation is so hot right now. That’s because SOC 2 has become synonymous with cybersecurity compliance in many sectors. Automation accelerates the SOC 2 certification process without sacrificing accuracy, which then allows your organization to get your report more quickly.
But how does automation work, exactly? And is it all that much better than manually preparing for an audit?
Let’s look under the hood with an introduction to SOC 2 automation.
What are the benefits of SOC 2 automation?
There’s no doubt that achieving SOC 2 compliance is a significant investment. Auditor fees for SOC 2 compliance range from $10,000 - $50,000. That’s a good chunk of change for any business.
Risk is inherent to being a business leader. But cybersecurity compliance is one area where there are tools to help mitigate risk and save you money.
SOC 2 compliance automation software reduces the risk of failing your audit and losing money.
Other benefits include:
Reducing resource fatigue
Manual compliance is a drain on cybersecurity teams. Automation handles repetitive tasks so your people can focus where they thrive.
Peace of mind
Compliance automation software pulls information from your internal systems in real-time and continually maps it against a risk register that notifies you of potential vulnerabilities.
Improving efficiencies
Generate reports, update policy documents, and gather requested details quickly through your compliance dashboard. The spreadsheet shuffle is over.
Keeping current
Frameworks, including SOC 2, are subject to change. Let your automation software update the requirements for you. No hassle, no stress, and no 3 AM Googling!
“It’s important that automation does not add complexity,” says KPMG Managing Director Leah Gregorio. With thoughtful SOC 2 automation tools, your work is centralized and simplified.
How SOC 2 automation works
If you were to pursue SOC 2 certification with manual audit preparation, the first thing you would have to do is build . That’s before all the other tasks: manually collecting evidence, pooling your documents, and haphazardly creating or updating policy material.
SOC 2 automation has these protocols covered. Here’s what SOC 2 automation looks like with ControlMap.
SOC 2 automation with ControlMap
Your journey begins with a series of broad-scoping questions. These questions help determine the compliance roadmap tailored to your organization’s activities.
From there, the ControlMap interface is updated with the necessary controls and policy templates you’ll need to get started in satisfying SOC 2 attestation.
Your policy documents fall into five sections:
- Purpose
- Scope
- Background
- Policy Statement
- Enforcement
Your logo, organization name, and address information are transferred to all policy templates for a streamlined, branded look.
Policy collaboration for SOC 2 compliance
If you’re serious about SOC 2, your team knows it, too. Get those necessary people involved with policy management. Rather than spending months developing and proofing, you can reduce the process to a number of weeks. Assign policies to team members or departments as contributors and let the workshopping begin.
For example:
SOC 2 assessments include reviewing/updating human resource policies. You can assign your HR manager to review and approve all HR policies (points for efficiency!) Customize the task with weekly email reminders and notifications regarding edits made.
This workflow is essential if time is critical in completing your SOC 2 project.
Policy safeguards for SOC 2 automation
ControlMap includes safeguards to ensure accuracy and efficiency for policy maintenance. You can set annual review date notifications and map policies to controls so that information can migrate to other frameworks.
For example:
You’ve got an approved Acceptable Use Policy for SOC 2. Now you can map the same policy to a similar ISO 27001 objective. There are many overlaps in policy document requirements for compliance frameworks. Hooray for reduced workloads and more framework certifications!
Continuous evidence collection
Connect your internal systems, including HR, Cloud, and Asset & Endpoint Management, to your customized ControlMap interface. You’ll get continuous evidence collection that can be extracted at-a-glance and in report formats.
Marketers, customers, and account managers can use the Trust Portal to provide critical compliance posture data without the hassle of sending specific documentation via email.
Rapid risk scoring
SOC 2 automation with ControlMap allows you to maintain a timely risk register with pre-loaded scores for likelihood and impact on information systems.
Identify your vulnerabilities and build a mitigation plan for top risks. Automation makes this easier by allowing you to create and link applicable security controls.
When your ready-made risk register, evidence log, and policy compendium are all in one place, it’s all gravy, baby.
SOC 2 Type I or Type II automation?
AICPA includes two types of reports for SOC 2.
Type I is based on an assessment of your controls as presented at the time of the audit. It’s like a snapshot of your compliance posture.
Type II is based on an assessment of your controls tracked over twelve months. This report assures the operating effectiveness of your controls.
The best option for you is the one that makes sense for your available resources. The AICPA standards for both types are the same, but because of its broadened scope, Type II third-party auditing is more costly.
As HG Insights has done, you can target Type I to achieve Type II down the road. With SOC 2 automation, continuous evidence collection means you have the data on hand to plot your next move.
Whether Type I or II, ControlMap expedites your compliance pipeline and empowers you to make intelligent choices for your organization.
Demo our SOC 2 automation tools
Let’s make your first SOC 2 audit a success. Email us today for a ControlMap demo!